Leo Varadkar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leo Varadkar
Varadkar in 2022
Taoiseach
In office 17 December 2022 – 9 April 2024
President	Michael D. Higgins
Tánaiste	Micheál Martin
Preceded by	Micheál Martin
Succeeded by	Simon Harris
In office 14 June 2017 – 27 June 2020
President	Michael D. Higgins
Tánaiste	Frances Fitzgerald Simon Coveney
Preceded by	Enda Kenny
Succeeded by	Micheál Martin
Tánaiste
In office 27 June 2020 – 17 December 2022
Taoiseach	Micheál Martin
Preceded by	Simon Coveney
Succeeded by	Micheál Martin
Leader of Fine Gael
In office 2 June 2017 – 20 March 2024
Deputy	Simon Coveney
Preceded by	Enda Kenny
Succeeded by	Simon Harris
Further ministerial offices Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment In office 27 June 2020 – 17 December 2022 Taoiseach Micheál Martin Preceded by Heather Humphreys Succeeded by Simon Coveney Minister for Defence In office 14 June 2017 – 27 June 2020 Taoiseach Himself Preceded by Enda Kenny Succeeded by Simon Coveney Minister for Social Protection In office 6 May 2016 – 14 June 2017 Taoiseach Enda Kenny Preceded by Joan Burton Succeeded by Regina Doherty Minister for Health In office 11 July 2014 – 6 May 2016 Taoiseach Enda Kenny Preceded by James Reilly Succeeded by Simon Harris Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport In office 9 March 2011 – 11 July 2014 Taoiseach Enda Kenny Preceded by Pat Carey Succeeded by Paschal Donohoe
Teachta Dála
In office May 2007 – November 2024
Constituency	Dublin West
Personal details
Born	(1979-01-18) 18 January 1979 (age 46) Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Fine Gael
Domestic partner	Matthew Barrett
Education	The King's Hospital
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin

Leo Varadkar (born 18 January 1979) is an Irish former politician. He was the Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister) twice, from 2017 to 2020 and again from 2022 to 2024. He also served as Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) from 2020 to 2022. Leo Varadkar was the leader of the Fine Gael political party from 2017 to 2024. He was a TD (a member of the Irish Parliament) for the Dublin West area from 2007 until 2024.

Varadkar was born in Dublin. His father is from India and his mother is from Ireland. He studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin and worked as a doctor. He joined Fine Gael when he was a teenager. He became a local councillor in 2003 and was first elected to the Dáil in 2007.

He held several important jobs in government before becoming Taoiseach. These included Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Minister for Health, and Minister for Social Protection. In 2015, he publicly shared that he is gay. This was a significant moment as he was the first openly gay Irish minister to do so.

In 2017, he became Taoiseach, making him the youngest person to hold the role at 38 years old. He was also the first Taoiseach from an ethnic minority background and the first openly gay head of government in Ireland. After the 2020 general election, Fine Gael formed a government with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party. Varadkar served as Tánaiste before becoming Taoiseach again in 2022. He stepped down from politics in 2024.

Early Life and Education

Leo Varadkar was born in Dublin, Ireland, on 18 January 1979. He is the third child and only son of Ashok and Miriam Varadkar. His father was born in Mumbai, India, and moved to the UK to work as a doctor. His mother, from County Waterford, Ireland, was a nurse. They met in the UK and later moved to Dublin in 1973.

Leo went to St Francis Xavier national school and then to The King's Hospital, a secondary school in Palmerstown. When he was 16, he joined Young Fine Gael, which is the youth part of the Fine Gael political party.

He later studied at Trinity College Dublin. He first studied law but then changed to medicine. While at university, he was very active in politics. He was even Vice-President of the Youth of the European People's Party. He also took part in a program in Washington, D.C., where he worked for the US House of Representatives.

Leo Varadkar became a doctor in 2003. He worked in hospitals for several years before becoming a general practitioner (GP) in 2010.

Becoming a Politician

Early Steps in Politics

Varadkar first tried to get elected in local elections in 1999 when he was 20. He was not successful then. In 2003, he joined Fingal County Council as a councillor. In the 2004 local elections, he received the most votes of any candidate in the country.

Entering the Dáil

In the 2007 Irish general election, Varadkar was elected to Dáil Éireann (the Irish Parliament). He became a TD for the Dublin West area. After this election, he was appointed as a spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Later, he became spokesperson for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

He was re-elected to the Dáil in the 2011 Irish general election. Fine Gael then formed a government after 14 years.

Important Roles in Government

Minister for Transport, Tourism, and Sport (2011–2014)

In March 2011, Leo Varadkar became the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. This was a bit of a surprise because he was not known for being a big sports fan. He said he knew "a lot of facts" but did not play sports himself.

Minister for Health (2014–2016)

Health Minister Varadkar with Tánaiste Joan Burton at the opening of a unit at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, July 2014

In July 2014, Varadkar became the Minister for Health. He continued in this role after the 2016 Irish general election for a short time.

Minister for Social Protection (2016–2017)

In May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Varadkar as Minister for Social Protection. During this time, he launched a campaign against welfare fraud.

First Time as Taoiseach (2017–2020)

Becoming Taoiseach

On 2 June 2017, Varadkar was chosen as the leader of the Fine Gael party. He won against Simon Coveney. On 14 June 2017, he was elected as Taoiseach. He was 38 years old, making him the youngest Taoiseach in Ireland's history at that time.

He was also the first Taoiseach from an ethnic minority background. And he was the first openly gay head of government in Ireland.

..... He also said the government would plan for a low-carbon economy.

Brexit Negotiations

A big challenge during his first term was Brexit, the UK leaving the European Union. Varadkar worked hard to make sure there would be no "hard border" between Ireland and Northern Ireland. This meant avoiding checkpoints and barriers. He said he received promises from the UK that the border would remain open.

Important Votes and Recognition

..... He supported changing the laws. The referendum passed with 66% of the votes.

Time magazine included Varadkar in their list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2018.

Varadkar and US President Donald Trump in Shannon, Ireland in June 2019

In 2019, Varadkar continued to speak about Brexit. He also stated that Ireland would not approve a trade deal between the European Union and South American countries unless Brazil committed to protecting the environment.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Government Change

In January 2020, Varadkar called for a general election, which took place on 8 February. Fine Gael won fewer seats than in the previous election. After the election, Varadkar offered his resignation as Taoiseach. He remained in the role while a new government was being formed.

During this time, the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread in Ireland. Varadkar announced measures to stop the virus, like closing schools. He also addressed the nation on Saint Patrick's night, explaining new guidelines.

In March 2020, Varadkar, who is a qualified doctor, rejoined the medical register. He offered to work as a doctor one day a week to help with the pandemic.

In June 2020, Fine Gael formed a new government with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party. It was agreed that the role of Taoiseach would rotate between Varadkar and Micheál Martin, the leader of Fianna Fáil. On 27 June, Micheál Martin became Taoiseach, marking the end of Varadkar's first term.

Government Minister (2020–2022)

Official portrait, 2020

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

After Micheál Martin became Taoiseach, Varadkar was appointed as Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister). He also became the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The agreement was that he and Micheál Martin would swap roles in December 2022.

Sharing a Document

In October 2020, it was reported that Varadkar had shared a draft document about a contract for doctors. He later apologised in the Dáil for "errors of judgement" in sharing the document. He said he had nothing personal to gain from it. The matter was investigated, and in July 2022, it was decided that he would not face prosecution.

Second Time as Taoiseach (2022–2024)

Varadkar beside his coalition partners Micheál Martin and Eamon Ryan in December 2022

On 17 December 2022, Leo Varadkar became Taoiseach for the second time. This happened after Micheál Martin resigned as planned.

Key Events

On 13 April 2023, Varadkar met with U.S. President Joe Biden during President Biden's visit to Ireland. On 6 May 2023, Varadkar attended the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla in the UK. This was the first time an Irish Taoiseach attended such an event.

In November 2023, after a serious incident in Dublin, riots took place. Varadkar condemned the riots, saying those involved brought "shame" and were motivated by "hate" and "violence." He promised to use the law to punish those responsible.

In March 2024, two referendums were held to change parts of the Irish Constitution. Voters rejected both proposed changes.

Resignation

Varadkar on Saint Patrick's Day at the White House, in 2024

On 20 March 2024, Varadkar announced he would step down as Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader. He said his reasons were both personal and political. He resigned as Fine Gael leader immediately. He continued as Taoiseach until his successor was appointed.

On 9 April 2024, Simon Harris was appointed as the new Taoiseach. On 16 July 2024, Varadkar announced that he would not run for re-election in the next general election. He said he would retire from politics to "explore new options."

His Views and Beliefs

Varadkar with U.S. President Joe Biden on St Patrick's Day in 2023

Varadkar is known for being direct in his comments. He is generally seen as a centre-right politician. This means he supports ideas like lower taxes and changes to welfare. He believes in creating wealth before distributing it fairly.

Economy

He supports tax cuts and wants to encourage international companies like Apple Inc to invest in Ireland. He also believes in keeping Ireland's corporate tax rate low.

Foreign Policy

Varadkar and his party, Fine Gael, were against Brexit. A lot of his time as Taoiseach was spent negotiating with the British government about the border with Northern Ireland.

He supports a trade agreement between Canada and the European Union called CETA. However, he has faced opposition to parts of this agreement.

In October 2023, he condemned attacks in Israel. He also urged Israel to show "restraint" in its response to avoid harm to civilians in Gaza. He later criticised Israel's blockade of Gaza.

Social Issues

In 2015, Varadkar publicly shared that he is gay. He then strongly supported the referendum on same-sex marriage, which passed.

He has also spoken in support of the transgender community. He believes that gender recognition laws passed in Ireland were a big step forward.

..... In 2010, he was against it. .....

Immigration

In 2010, Varadkar suggested a plan to pay immigrants to return to their home countries. He felt Ireland was not ready for the large number of immigrants during the "Celtic Tiger" period.

However, in 2022, he said he has always supported migration and accepting refugees. He also hosted a Ukrainian refugee in his own home. In January 2023, he announced that his government would look at ways to strengthen border control against illegal immigration.

Personal Life

Leo Varadkar is the first Irish government leader with part-Indian heritage. He has visited India many times. He completed part of his medical training in Mumbai, his father's childhood city.

On 18 January 2015, his 36th birthday, Varadkar spoke publicly about being gay. He said it was "just part of who I am" and did not define him. He was a strong supporter of the same-sex marriage referendum. His partner, Matthew Barrett, is also a doctor.

Varadkar has learned professional Irish. He created an Irish form for his surname, de Varad. He encourages people to speak Irish and have fun with it.

Although he grew up in a Catholic home, Varadkar is not religious himself. He finds religion "fascinating."

Images for kids

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  Varadkar alongside Jüri Ratas, the Prime Minister of Estonia, and Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, in 2017

See also

In Spanish: Leo Varadkar para niños